The arrest of a Sapele based content creator, Uge Elo Kenneth, who protested the poor state of roads by bathing in a muddy, waterlogged pothole, has sparked a heated exchange or words between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State.
Recall that Uge recently trended on social media platforms, where he was seen bathing in floodwaters, allegedly to attract the government’s attention.
The APC had condemned the arrest, describing it as a “blatant attempt to stifle free speech.”
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, labeled the arrest “disgraceful and despicable,” accusing the Delta State Government of using executive power to silence critics of its administration.
According to Onojeghuo, Uge’s protest was a creative attempt to highlight the deteriorating state of the Shell Road in Sapele, which has long been neglected by both the current Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
“The Okowa and Oborevwori administrations have failed the people of Delta State,” Onojeghuo said, adding that roads the former governor was praised for have either vanished or fallen into disrepair.
“Instead of fixing these roads, they are now arresting frustrated residents who have no choice but to protest to draw attention to these failures,” has State.
Onojeghuo also alleged that poor quality materials and unqualified contractors were behind the state’s crumbling infrastructure, blaming government linked contractors for prioritizing political connections over competence.
However, in a swift response, the PDP fired back, accusing the APC of sponsoring Uge’s protest to tarnish the reputation of the Oborevwori administration.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ebenezer Okorodudu, titled, “Unmasking the Sponsors: The True Motives Behind the Muddy Bath Stunt,” the PDP claimed that Uge’s actions were orchestrated by the APC as part of a larger plot to discredit the state government’s efforts.
Okorodudu asserted that Governor Oborevwori remains focused on delivering road infrastructure across Delta State, pointing that the government is currently working on a number of projects in Sapele, including 16 km of road construction.
He specifically listed the ongoing rehabilitation of the Okirighwre/Benin Road and the old Sapele/Warri Road.
The PDP also challenged the APC to focus on federal roads in Delta State, which they described as “death traps,” urging the opposition party to lobby the federal government to address these critical infrastructure failures.
“It’s time for the APC to take responsibility for the failed federal roads and work towards finding solutions,” the PDP statement added.
Despite the political back and forth, the fate of Uge Elo Kenneth remains uncertain, with both parties using the incident to score political points as residents continue to grapple with the dire state of the state’s roads.
As the debate intensifies, Deltans watch closely, eager to see if any concrete actions will be taken to address the longstanding infrastructure issues.
